Cannot install fvdw-sl. Tried both GPT and DOS partition

[mlundemann]

Hi there,

My Lacie Cloudbox (with a Seagate Barracuda 2TB disk) suddenly died (as has happened for many other users of this forum, I can see) and I have been trying to bring it back to live for a while now.
First I tried to recover the disk using Lacie's Network Assistent - no luck. I was, however, able to retrieve my data by connecting the disk directly to a Linux prompt, so I do not care about maintaining data on the disk now.

I did a disk check using the SeagateTools for Windows and it does not report any errors.

I have tried to install fvdw-sl using the fvdw-sl-console version 6.0 and am able to load the u-boot and get the Telnet session up and running. The install scripts executes, but I run into two different errors, dependent on whether I choose a GPT or DOS partition.

Trying the GPT partition I get

Code: Select all

creating GPT partition table failed

The full output of installer.log is:

Code: Select all

There was an error creating the gpt partitioning scheme on /dev/sda.
Installer will exit
root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # cat installer.log
fvdw-sl-installer log
tftpd ip address 192.168.1.201
getting required programs from tftp server 192.168.1.201
Dialog installed
xterm installed
mke2fs-ext3 present
gdisk present
Start fvdw-sl firmware installer version 3.0.0

selected nas type cloudbox platform kirkwood
selected disk /dev/sda
gpt support bootloader selected yes
selected partion table type gpt
Deleting old msdos partiton table
partitions found before deleting ms-dos partition table = 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 \n
del = d\n8\nd\n7\nd\n6\nd\n5\nd\n4\nd\n3\nd\n2\nd\n1\nw\n\q\n\n
partitions found after delete ms-dos partition table = \n
deleting ms-dos partition succeeded\n
create new partiton table
create new GPT partiton table
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.5

Partition table scan:
  MBR: MBR only
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid MBR and GPT. Which do you want to use?
 1 - MBR
 2 - GPT
 3 - Create blank GPT

Your answer: Using GPT and creating fresh protective MBR.

Command (? for help):
Expert command (? for help): Enter the sector alignment value (1-65536, default = 2048):
Expert command (? for help):
Command (? for help): Partition number (1-128, default 1): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 4096) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (4096-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (2-128, default 2): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 1052672) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (1052672-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (3-128, default 3): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 2101248) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (2101248-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux swap'

Command (? for help): Partition number (4-128, default 4): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 3149824) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (3149824-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (5-128, default 5): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 3166208) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (3166208-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (6-128, default 6): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 4739072) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (4739072-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (7-128, default 7): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 4755456) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (4755456-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Partition number (8-128, default 8): First sector (34-3907029133, default = 5804032) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Last sector (5804032-3907029133, default = 3907029133) or {+-}size{KMGTP}: Current type is 'Linux filesystem'
Hex code or GUID (L to show codes, Enter = 8300): Changed type of partition to 'Linux filesystem'

Command (? for help): Warning! Secondary header is placed too early on the disk! Do you want to
correct this problem? (Y/N): Have moved second header and partition table to correct location.

Final checks complete. About to write GPT data. THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING
PARTITIONS!!

Do you want to proceed? (Y/N): creating GPT partiton table failed


Trying the DOS partition I get an error when loading the kernel from tftp server:

Code: Select all

root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # cat installerdos.log
fvdw-sl-installer log
tftpd ip address 192.168.1.201
getting required programs from tftp server 192.168.1.201
Dialog installed
xterm installed
mke2fs-ext3 present
gdisk present
Start fvdw-sl firmware installer version 3.0.0

selected nas type cloudbox platform kirkwood
selected disk /dev/sda
gpt support bootloader selected yes
selected partion table type msdos
Deleting old msdos partiton table
partitions found before deleting ms-dos partition table = \n
del = w\n\q\n\n
partitions found after delete ms-dos partition table = \n
deleting ms-dos partition succeeded\n
create new partiton table
create ms-dos partiton table
max cylinder 243201
ms-dos partiton scheme disk last cylinder 243200 (-1)

The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 243201.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
   (e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)

Command (m for help): Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
Partition number (1-4): First cylinder (1-243201, default 1): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (9-243201, default 243201):
Command (m for help): Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
Partition number (1-4): First cylinder (1-243201, default 1): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (73-243201, default 243201):
Command (m for help): Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
Partition number (1-4): First cylinder (1-243201, default 1): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (137-243201, default 243201):
Command (m for help): Partition number (1-4): Hex code (type L to list codes): Changed system type of partition 3 to 82 (Linux swap)

Command (m for help): Command action
   e   extended
   p   primary partition (1-4)
Selected partition 4
First cylinder (1-243201, default 1): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (201-243201, default 243201):
Command (m for help): First cylinder (201-243200, default 201): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (209-243200, default 243200):
Command (m for help): First cylinder (201-243200, default 201): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (321-243200, default 243200):
Command (m for help): First cylinder (201-243200, default 201): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (337-243200, default 243200):
Command (m for help): First cylinder (201-243200, default 201): Last cylinder or +size or +sizeM or +sizeK (409-243200, default 243200):
Command (m for help): The partition table has been altered.
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table
creating ms-dos partiton table succeeded
format partition 5
mke2fs 1.41.14 (22-Dec-2010)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
Stride=0 blocks, Stripe width=0 blocks
52304 inodes, 208845 blocks
2088 blocks (1.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=213909504
7 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
7472 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
        32768, 98304, 163840

Writing inode tables: done                           
Creating journal (4096 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 39 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first.  Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
formatting sda5 succeeded
writing kernel to partition 6
mounting sda 5 succeeded
getting kernel from tftp server
can not find kernel on sda5, transfer from tfp server must have failed


Any help is very much appreciated.

[fvdw]

GPT
this part is not normal and may confuse the installer script as doesn't expect this question

Command (? for help): Warning! Secondary header is placed too early on the disk! Do you want to
correct this problem? (Y/N): Have moved second header and partition table to correct location.

What could help is deleting all partiobs manually using gdisk and then run the installer.

However using GPT partition table has no advantage on a 2 TB disk, ms-dos will do as well. The reason why that fails must be that you did not setup the fvdw-sl console in the standard way and moved the firmware files that should be in the tftp subfolder of the console to another location or deleted them ??

[mlundemann]

Thanks, fvdw!
I went for the DOS partition and that worked well after I did a new extraction of the fvdw-sl-console.rar-files. Apparently, I had them extracted without the inherent file structure the first time, which made the installer unable to find the needed files.

I managed to do the installation, however, the cloudbox does not appear on my routers client list. I guess I was supposed to be able to connect without any further ado, so I might be facing a hardware problem with the box, right?

[fvdw]

I assume you have done a reboot after succesfully finishing the installation. You can try to use the fvdw-sl assistance to find out if it is on your lan. That program you can download also from plugout forum.

If you can use the standalone kernel and execute the installation your hardware looks ok and the firmware should come up.

If it doesn't come up, switch it off and again load the standalone kernel using the fvdw-sl console and give these commands after connecting with telnet client

Code: Select all

mkdir sda7
cat /sda7/boot.log

post the output of the last command

[mlundemann]

The fvdw-sl assistant does not find any connected NAS (even after additional reboots of the cloudbox).

I don't find any boot.log file on sda7?

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root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # mkdir sda7
root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # cat /sda7/boot.log
cat: can't open '/sda7/boot.log': No such file or directory
root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # mount /dev/sda7 sda7
root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ # ls sda7
bin         boot        dev         etc         linuxrc     mail        opt         root        share       usr
bin_cab     clunc       direct-usb  lib         lost+found  nowhere     proc        sbin        sys         var
root@fvdw-sta-kirkwood:/ #

[fvdw]

:scratch not boot.log means that boot has failed in a very early stage. Did you select the right package when using the installer?

[fvdw]

What you can try is copy the file UIMAGE-3142-NWSP2-14 from the folder tftp/firmware/kirkwood to the tftp folder of the fvdw-sl console and choose in the fvdw-sl console the option load and start external kernel and select this kernel and follow the instructions. The cloudbox should boot this kernel and load the root file system on sda7.
If it still fails look again for boot.log in sda7 as explained earlier

[fvdw]

I edited my last post

[mlundemann]

Yes, I chose the Kirkwood-150-standalone. That is the right one, right?

I will give it a try with UIMAGE-3142-NWSP2-14.

[fvdw]

The standalone kernel is for running it without firmware. After installing the firmware via using the standalone kernel you must just reboot the cloudbox and not again load the standalone kernel. Did you do that?